Ulysses In 80: The Ulysses Experience

In this episode of Ulysses in 80, Mark Sanford Gross and Cliona O’Farrelly are joined by Daniel Mulhall, former Irish Ambassador to the United States and author of Ulysses: A Reader’s Odyssey.
Mulhall comes to Ulysses first and foremost as a reader—one who has returned to Joyce’s novel throughout a diplomatic career that took him around the world. The conversation moves from his own roots in Ulysses to Ireland then and now, identity, tolerance, and why he believes Joyce’s century-old novel remains a novel for modern times.
And, as the U80 journey reaches Ithaca, there is also the question of coming home—both in Ulysses and after a lifetime spent representing Ireland abroad.
Ulysses for Everyone.
Ulysses in 80
A global reading of James Joyce’s Ulysses, moving through the book together over eighty days.
📧 Contact: readingulyssesin80@gmail.com

The 2026 reading is June 1 to August 19th.

Mark Sanford Gross and Cliona O'Farrelly are joined by Daragh O'Connell, Associate Professor of Italian at University College Cork and Director of the Centre for Dante Studies in Ireland, for a lively journey between Dante and Joyce—and some of the surprising places where their worlds meet.
From Ulysses' extraordinary final voyage in Dante's Inferno to the echoes that surface in Joyce's Ulysses, the conversation wanders through Homer, Circe, Dante's famous "midway" opening, and the little nuggets that send us back to these books again and again.
Why did Joyce keep returning to Dante? And why, centuries later, do readers keep returning to both of them?
Part of Ulysses in 80 — Ulysses for Everyone.
Visit ulyssesin80.com
Ulysses in 80
A global reading of James Joyce’s Ulysses, moving through the book together over eighty days.
📧 Contact: readingulyssesin80@gmail.com

The 2026 reading is June 1 to August 19th.

As readers journey into the final third of James Joyce's Ulysses, Professor Joseph Valente joins Ulysses in 80 for a thoughtful conversation exploring identity, belonging, nation, and the enduring humanity at the heart of Joyce's masterpiece.
Together, we discuss Leopold Bloom, Joyce's treatment of Jewishness, questions of gender and sexuality, the complexities of nationalism, and why Ulysses continues to challenge—and reward—readers more than a century after its publication. Rather than offering easy answers, Valente invites us to read with greater curiosity, generosity, and openness.
Ulysses in 80 is a global reading community exploring Ulysses over 80 days bringing together leading Joyce scholars and readers from around the world.
Visit ulyssesin80.com to explore the books, essays, and other references mentioned in this episode, listen to past conversations, and join readers from around the world. Ulysees in 80 is led by Cliona O'Farrelly in Dublin and Mark Sanford Gross in Northern California
Ulysses for Everyone.
Ulysses in 80
A global reading of James Joyce’s Ulysses, moving through the book together over eighty days.
📧 Contact: readingulyssesin80@gmail.com

The 2026 reading is June 1 to August 19th.

What happens when Ulysses leaves the page and steps onto the stage?
This week, Mark Sanford Gross and Cliona O'Farrelly welcome acclaimed Irish playwright, journalist, and historian Colin Murphy for a wide-ranging conversation about James Joyce, theatre, and the remarkable legal battle that transformed Ulysses from a banned novel into one of the world's most celebrated works of literature.
Colin discusses his acclaimed play, The United States Versus Ulysses, the famous 1933 obscenity trial, why Joyce's work continues to challenge and inspire readers, and what happens when one of literature's most complex novels is brought to life before a live audience.
With Colin Murphy's generous permission, this episode also includes an excerpt from his stage production, offering listeners a rare opportunity to hear Joyce's world interpreted through the theatre.
Whether you're reading Ulysses for the first time or returning to it once again, this conversation reminds us that Joyce's masterpiece is meant to be experienced—not simply understood.
Learn more about Colin Murphy and his work at colinmurphy.ie.
Ulysses in 80 is hosted by Mark Sanford Gross in Northern California and Cliona O'Farrelly in Dublin as part of the global reading project Ulysses for Everyone. Visit ulyssesin80.com for daily readings, podcasts, discussions, and resources.
Ulysses in 80
A global reading of James Joyce’s Ulysses, moving through the book together over eighty days.
📧 Contact: readingulyssesin80@gmail.com

The 2026 reading is June 1 to August 19th.

This week on Ulysses in 80, we're joined by Patrick Hastings, creator of The Ulysses Guide, one of today's most trusted companions for readers making their way through James Joyce's Ulysses.
Patrick has a remarkable ability to make Joyce's masterpiece feel welcoming without diminishing its richness or complexity. Throughout this conversation, he shares practical insights, reading strategies, and the quiet confidence that readers don't need to understand everything to enjoy the journey. His approach reminds us that Ulysses is meant to be experienced as much as it is studied.
Together, we explore why the novel continues to reward both first-time readers and those returning to it year after year. Patrick also reflects on creating The Ulysses Guide, the importance of curiosity over certainty, and why reading Joyce is ultimately an invitation into conversation rather than a search for definitive answers.
At the heart of this conversation is a simple idea that has become central to Ulysses in 80: Ulysses is for everyone. Whether you're opening the book for the first time or returning after decades, Patrick reminds us that there is no single "right" way to read Joyce—only your way.
Hosted by Cliona O'Farrelly and Mark Sanford Gross.
Visit ulyssesin80.com for daily readings, podcasts, resources, and a worldwide community discovering that Ulysses really is for everyone.
Ulysses in 80
A global reading of James Joyce’s Ulysses, moving through the book together over eighty days.
📧 Contact: readingulyssesin80@gmail.com

The 2026 reading is June 1 to August 19th.